Flora and Fauna

Around 26% of the country’s total land area is protected as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Bhutan is home to numerous types of animals and plants flourishing in alpine, temperate and subtropical zones. Snow leopard, blue sheep, tiger, takin, elephant, wild boar and golden langur are some of the animals found in Bhutan. Black necked crane, ducks, cuckoos, swifts, white bellied heron and hornbill are the few birds from the endless list that Bhutan is home to. Rhododendrons, junipers, magnolias, orchids, blue poppy (the national flower), daphne, giant rhubarb, pine and oak are also common sights in Bhutan’s landscape. Bhutan also has around 300 types of medicinal plants thus the Tibetans named Bhutan as lhojong menjong meaning 'the southern land of the medicinal plants’.